It was from this physical and mental baseline that I decided it was time to revisit the half marathon distance and I signed up for the 2017 Air Force Half Marathon. The Air Force Half Marathon course is notorious for being hot, difficult, and boring. It definitely delivered on all accounts, but training with the 5 Rivers Running team had prepared me well.

Planning a day of birthday deliciousness reminds me of the time my mom and I spent exploring our inner foodie at Pike's Place Market in Seattle. "Eat Something Delicious from Pikes Place Market" is an item from the original bucket list, which means that I've been eyeing this gastronomic mecca for a little over a decade. At this time last month, when my mom and I were frolicking in the greater Seattle area, I knew my time had come.

There's this one episode of Sex and the City in which Carrie talks about Secret Single Behaviors, or the things you do alone and in the privacy of your own home because you'd be too embarrassed if people found out just how weird you are. Carrie's is something like spreading jelly on saltines and eating them while standing up in her kitchen. I know...IS THAT SERIOUSLY ALL THAT SHE WILL ADMIT TO?

I've always loved this quote by Maya Angelou because it so perfectly expresses the way I experience my memories. When I recall moments of my life, the emotions I felt at the time resurface quickly and crisply, standing resolutely as the other details trickle lazily into my consciousness, taunting me with the knowledge that its only a matter of time before they don't show up at all.

My photos from Argentina were mostly of food (we ate A LOT!), but none of them made it to Instagram. At the time, there weren't enough hashtags in the world to describe the great times I had while sharing meals with colleagues-turned-friends. I hope that in sharing them with you now, accompanied by the stories they deserve, I can convey the exquisite hospitality and irresistible flavors of Argentina.

I didn't roll out of bed on an arbitrary Sunday and have some militant runner czar say "you! woman! Run as fast as you can for 13 miles." I signed up for the race months ago and had plenty of time to train. Why didn't I?

In 7th grade, maybe 8th, I was assigned a report on Benjamin Franklin. I don't remember much about the report itself, only that I went wild in my research. It started out with a collection of small books from the library (yes, we actually used books as references, I'm ancient). These books were more than enough to fulfill the assignment, and I tore through them rapidly. Wanting to find out more, I checked out the fattest Benjamin Franklin book I could find and read that too--cover to cover. He was a fascinating dude and I was genuinely interested in learning as much as I could.

Maybe "hiking through the fog and rain" is necessary off, as well as on, the Inca Trail in order to have a chance at the experiencing something great. Maybe having a foggy view of what lies ahead intensifies our reaction to what's there when the clouds lift. I certainly felt that intensity at Machu Picchu, when things finally cleared up.

A solitary, Thoreau-esque trek is not the experience you'll have on the Inca Trail. Several years ago, the Peruvian government prohibited trekking without a qualified guide, so it's no longer an option to hike the Inca Trail independently. Small groups can organize their own trek, provided they pay a pretty penny to have a licensed guide accompany them. The requirement to hike with a sanctioned guide PLUS the cap on the # of trekkers allowed on the trail per day creates the perfect environment for tour operators. They swoop in, batch you up into small groups, orchestrate the permit purchase, and serve as your licensed guide.

I was determined to tackle two things on my own: asking for directions and the colectivo. Prior to coming to Peru, I had never heard of a colectivo. The concept doesn't really exist in the US, but I can make a loose comparison to car pooling. You may laugh at my admiration, but if punctuality is not a concern (ha, this is the reason why it doesn't exist in the US), the colectivo is a pretty neat way to get around. For me, it worked a little like this:

On my first full day in Cusco, Caleb and I set out for Maras in the Sacred Valley. Caleb is an American who had been working at Bill & Nic's house for a few months prior to my arrival. His goal was to learn some Spanish along the way. When Nicole learned that I was a solo traveler, she sent Caleb along with me. She said it was so that he could learn more about the B&B's offerings, but I suspect it was so that I didn't get my sorry ass kidnapped (ha!)

I wrote my bucket list when I was seventeen. It has grown since then, but the whole point of this project is to hold myself to that original list, even if some of my teenaged aspirations don't seem quite as appealing as they used to. For example: Although I was a diver in high school, I've developed a slight fear of heights as I've gotten older. As you might guess, "go sky diving" is still sitting ominously undone on my bucket list.

When I first glanced at the recipe, I balked. This wasn't soup at all; it had peanut butter in it.

After a hot second, I revised my opinion because...guys...IT HAD PEANUT BUTTER IN IT. Also, I have recently come into possession of an immersion blender. And I was dying to take it for a little spin. ;)

If you vacation with me, we don't sleep in. I've got limited time off, so I've got things to do. Places to be. Things to see. Get your lazy butt out of bed.

Luckily, I didn't have to do much persuading with Marc and Michael...they were just as eager to get on the trail! By 6 am, we had parked at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead and had started on our way. On the itinerary for the day: Bear Lake, Alberta Falls, Mills Lake, the Loch, Timberline Falls, and Sky Pond.

For my recent trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, that beginning was extremely unexpected.

It all started last December, when I emailed my brother, Marc, to start brainstorming ideas of what to get our younger brother, Michael, for Christmas. After we both had ideas for Michael, I directed the same question toward him. "What do YOU want for Christmas?" I asked.

My dad started us early with the water skiing. Around age 10, we were bobbing with instability in the lake, barely able to keep the tips of the skis upright.

We had seen our dad ski so many times and it looked so easy. He would zip across the lake and lean against the boat's pull to spray up water, recovering at the last minute. And so, despite the initial wipe outs and frustration, our efforts were relentless--we wanted to ski like dad!

Being the crazy tourist that I am, I snapped a million photos of the Brooklyn Bridge while trying to not get run over by the disgusted cyclists barreling across the pedway. I loved how the cables stretched across the blue sky, how vivid the buildings on Manhattan appeared, and the little notes written in permanent marker on the bridge's beams. Below are some of my favorite images.

For those that have a bit more time in New York City, I highly recommend stepping away from the chaos and visiting the Cloisters.

So....what the heck IS the Cloisters? Don't worry, I didn't have a clue either.

The Cloisters is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, located along the Hudson River in Upper Manhattan. It was about a 30 minute metro ride from Central Park (more about our stroll through Central Park here). The building itself is a rebuilt monastery, full of religious and medieval art and lovely courtyard gardens.

I'll admit...this post is a bit stale. I promise you, though, that the Dark Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread recipe below is ANYTHING but stale. But before we dig into the goods, I want to share a little snippet of Easter with my family.

Brigid's request for our weekend in NYC was to go to afternoon tea at the Plaza Hotel. We made our reservation at the Palm Court via Open Table about 6 weeks prior to my visit, which allowed plenty of time to get excited! After our ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, we hurried back to the apartment to shower and dress in more appropriate attire. Walking into the Palm Court is to step into a world of luxury and ladies who lunch.

I was thrilled to finally be re-united with my friend. We went to the same Catholic grade school and high school, but over the years life has taken us to different parts of the country. I was able to see what her life is like now, and get a glimpse of her NYC while she was still there.

AIMEE HERE!

I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

To The Full List is the story of my bucket list project: to complete the life to-do's I wrote when I was an idyllic teenager. I am a Stephen King fangirl, am incredibly particular about my guacamole, and LOVE running, but only if it's outdoors. Treadmills are gross.